Toast to the Future
by Fufulafu
Summary: He should have known that the universe would refuse to give him one day of peace. Or a slightly less hectic day. Than again maybe he should be counting his blessing, there hadn't been a single invasion or attempt on his life. Sure. It was strange that he was eating lunch with Ben and Gwen... With Ben and Gwen. But it was nice to see how his grandson and granddaughter grew up.


**Disclaimer: I do NOT own, sadly..**.  
16/05/2015

* * *

A blue portal had appeared in the sky and Max Tennyson knew that today was going to be stranger than usual.

"Gwen, my laptop!" Ben yelled as he tumbled to the ground, you would think that he would more afraid that he was plummeting from the sky. Ben twisted in the air and within seconds he landed with a thud on the ground. Beside him a red head did the same, only she had pink mana glowing from her hands.

"Don't worry I got it." said the red head. Both of the teens slowly stood up with a relieved sigh. They then looked around seeing where they had landed. Max stood there waiting for them to address him. While waiting he observed the two. They were obviously his grandchildren, the boy had an Omnitrix and he only knew one red headed magic user.

"Who are you?!" Ben, the 10 year old, had his right hand hovering over his Omnitrix and Gwen, 10 year old, was ready to cast at a moment's notice.

"Calm down kids, it's just you two getting into trouble again." He chuckled out. The older version of his kids stood awkwardly.

"Hey," the -teen? Adult? - Ben waved casually

* * *

After the initial shock, all five of them sat down to finish their lunch or well, four of them. Older Ben was typing away on his laptop, stopping to sip his smoothie ever once in a while.

From what Max could tell this was definitely not the first time they have time traveled, not even close. (The casual way that they acted and the lack of panic gave it all away.) However something else shocked him most was that older Gwen and older Ben were getting along. His old heart could not take it. And, not only was that, in front of him, Benjamin working on a research paper, diligently too!

"By the way how old are you two?" younger Ben said in a bored tone from across the table with Gwen from the older duo. "I want to know when i become a nerd like dweeb here."

Younger Gwen gave an offended 'hey!' and the bicker kicked off from there. Max compared the two duos; while his current grandchildren verbally assaulted each other the older grandchildren only shared a look.

"We're twenty." The older Ben answered, "And were we really this bad?" He was wearing a white, green, and black themed outfit, black skinny jeans, white undershirt with a green stripe and a white jacket. Max would bet a thousand bucks that some on the fashionable outfit was a green number '10'.

"Sometimes worse," Max commented.

"Imagine that." Older Gwen smiled. She was dressed up just as well as older Ben; navy blue yoga jeans and white button up covered by a blue jacket.  
Older Ben closed his laptop, seemingly finished with his work for the moment to engage in the conversation. Only he stared blankly at the bank across from the restaurant they were in.

Then the bank exploded because, really what else were you expecting with so many Tennyson in one place.

"It hero time!" shouted the smaller Ben.

* * *

As always Little Ben rushed in first, ignoring the yells of Max. The rest of the group naturally followed. There were maybe half a four robbers, alien but nothing to threatening about them besides their massive size. The probably thought that this was going to be a quick and easy rob. They thought wrong.

Ben turned into XLR8 and faster than the eye could see knocked all of the robbers onto their feet and grabbed the money bags away from the criminals.

All of the robbers stood up holding an alien gun, aiming it at XLR8. While XLR8 fought the 'Big Bad', as he dubbed the leader, with witty wise cracks and fast kicks, Younger Gwen took on the second biggest robber with some help from Max.

That left the two minions to twenty year old Ben and Gwen.

"After you," Older Ben bowed chivalrously to Older Gwen. With a raised eyebrow she charged at the minion of her choosing followed by older Ben rapidly dodging gun shots from his minions.

Max was impressed to say the least. Like always he was to the side of the fight, little Gwen turns out didn't need his help (He was old give him a break). He saw the skilful dodges of Older Ben and the powerful blast of mana from Older Gwen.

When the bull alien charged at Older Ben, he did an effortless flip over him then rolled quickly to the alien that was defending himself from mana blasts and smoothly swept his legs under the alien. Older Gwen, as if reading older Ben's mind switched her target to the charging bull alien. She jumped kicked him in mid-air into a cement wall, knocking him out.

When the other minion stood up, older Ben was already had the aliens blaster trained on the robber. Three shots and a beg for mercy later all the robbers were taken away to prison.

* * *

The younger versions stared at the older versions in amazement. Max guessed that they had witness the two fights.

"How did you guys do that? With all the flips and kicks! That was awesome!"

"What spell were those? How did you kick him so hard? And who knew that Doofus could actually fight without changing into an alien."

"Hey, I can so fight without the Omnitrix! Did you see me flipping over the dude?"

"That was you older self, there's not a chance you-"

And Max toned them out.

All of them were back on the road, driving away from the town. Older Gwen was the unlucky one sitting in the back with the youngsters. But she seems to be handling herself well enough. (She shut them up and diverted their attention to something else besides insulting one another.)

Older Ben was shuffling through the controls of the rust bucket in front with him in a nostalgic sense.

"So why didn't you use the Omnitrix?" Max asked, it wasn't like Ben to abstain from changing forms.

"I don't really know, i just remember older me didn't so to not cause a paradox i chose to do the same. But i think i just made a time loop instead." Ben said sheepishly.

"Smart."

"You learn a few things after you the tenth time travel grandpa and despite how i am right now, I do learn," Ben snorted, "You can't be related to Gwen without learning a thing of two."

"I see you two getting along."

"Shocking right?"

Max didn't know if he should continue asking questions, he didn't want to change the future. The future he was looking at seemed too good to be true. When little Ben Had found the Omnitrix he feared the worst.

Ben noticed his silence and smiled. "Don't worry; ask away, you're supposed to."

Max was still reluctant.

"It's fine grandpa. If there's something that you shouldn't know i just won't answer."

Did anyone die? What horrors did you see to have gained the dark look in your eyes? I'm I still alive? What about Gwen, did her heritage cause any problem? What did you have to sacrifice?

There were so many questions to ask, ones that he knew if he asked would only be met with silence. So he stuck with something more light hearted. "What's your paper about?"

Ben corked an eyebrow, "Basically? Biology. Surprisingly I'm good at biology."

"You are still in school right."

"Gwen would kill me if i wasn't."

"Are you a plumper?"

"Technically yes, i have a badge and everything, just didn't graduate from the academy. "

"I'm guessing you don't follow protocol."

"Neither does Gwen."

The day continued like that with small talk and idle chit chat. Max found out that Gwen had a doctrine and was working on her second. He came out of retirement and was magister. Bellewood was just as chaotic.

Good old Bellewood.

* * *

As night fell, the air cooled and one by one they drifted off to sleep. Max was content at that moment. The two time travelers weren't worried that they would be stuck in the past so he didn't worry either.

He was woken up by the shuffle of feet and the creek of the door. He got up and looked around; older Ben was the one that left.

Max didn't know what prompt him to follow but he did, quietly. Once outside he could hear the beeping of the Omnitrix over the quiet night wind. He was about to reveal himself when a hand touched his shoulders to stop him. It older Gwen and she had a finger over her lips, the universal sign to tell someone to be silent.

Ben was in front of the Rust Bucket and Max and older Gwen was by the door, so Ben could not spot them but Max could see a bit of Ben's face.

 _"Sorry love but I am going to be a bit late for diner. I have some reports that are i dire need to be written. Do not worry; I will be back in time for diner._

 _Ps. I won the bet; Kevin finally decided to propose to Gwendolyn."_

By the fondness, in the male's voice in the message and Ben's there was no doubt that they were in love. Max has seen it many times on other couple's face but he never thought that he would witness it so soon on Ben's face. Gwendolyn had a found happy but knowing smile that had a slight blush. She tried to look angry that older Ben had bet on her being proposed but the slight smile gave her away. She was happy, content in every way.

For the first time Max was looking forward to getting old.


End file.
